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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25519252">because i believe in you</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/that_one_book_and_theatre_nerd/pseuds/that_one_book_and_theatre_nerd'>that_one_book_and_theatre_nerd</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gay Zuko (Avatar), Hurt/Comfort, I love them!, M/M, Past Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Past Sokka/Yue (Avatar), Sokka believes in him, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, Zuko is worried about becoming the Fire Lord, i love them, lots of comfort, they're both gay/bi disasters and don't know how the other feels, what idiots</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 08:29:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,618</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25519252</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/that_one_book_and_theatre_nerd/pseuds/that_one_book_and_theatre_nerd</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the rescue at Boiling Rock, Zuko and Sokka confront their feelings.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sokka &amp; Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang &amp; Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>330</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>because i believe in you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>*screams* okay so this is the first time I've written for ATLA and for this ship! Yay! I hope I did these characters justice because I love them so much.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sokka can’t pinpoint the exact moment he started feeling nervous around Zuko. Which is weird, and Sokka can’t figure out what his deal is.</p>
<p>	<em>Why would I feel <strong>nervous</strong> around <strong>Zuko?</strong> He just went on an insanely dangerous prison-break rescue mission with me? He’s <strong>clearly</strong> changed and is making actual efforts to be a better person. So why does my stomach start to twist in a not-awful way whenever I’m around him?</em></p>
<p>	Sokka contemplates this the night after the Boiling Rock rescue. Everyone else is asleep, and he’s on his side, watching the fire slowly die out. On the opposite side of the fire lies Zuko, who has started to sleep in the main outdoor area with everyone else rather than hole himself up in his room on warm nights. Sokka shifts onto his other side, so he’s facing out into the forest. When he glances up, he sees the moon.  He always thinks of Yue when he looks at the moon. It used to hurt; he wasn’t able to stand the permanent reminder of one of his all-time worst failures. But over the past few months, as the wound in his heart slowly healed, he found the moon a comforting sight. Sokka was drifting off when suddenly, the weird feeling in his stomach made sense.</p>
<p>	<em>Oh, <strong>shit,</strong></em> he thinks to himself as his eyes snap open. He quickly turns back around to face Zuko, as if daring his heart to prove him wrong. When his heart speeds up at the sight of Zuko looking more peaceful and young than Sokka had ever seen him—<em>spirits, we’re nearly the same age, aren’t we?</em>—Sokka feels his stomach drop into the center of the earth and his heart leap into his throat.</p>
<p>••••••••••</p>
<p>	“You <em>never</em> loved me, huh, Zuko?” Mai asks, her voice so much more emotionless and cold than normal that it sends a chill running up and down Zuko’s spine.</p>
<p>	“Mai, no, I’m <em>sorry,</em> I just—it’s not—”</p>
<p>	“Not what? Not my fault? Yeah, no <em>shit,</em> Zuko,” Mai snaps. Her arms are crossed. She’s standing over him, he’s tied up in the chair in the interrogation room in the Boiling Rock. He pushes down the tears welling up in his eyes.</p>
<p>	“Of <em>course</em> it’s not your fault, Mai. I just…I couldn’t <em>be</em> there anymore.” Zuko does his damnedest to not sound like he’s about to cry.</p>
<p>	“First your uncle, now me. Which loved one are you going to turn against next, Zuko? Is there even anyone <em>left</em> who would care enough about you?”</p>
<p>	<em>“Mai,”</em> Zuko starts, the pit of dread eating through his stomach so slowly yet as fast as Azula’s wit and lightning.</p>
<p>	“I doubt it. After all the horrible shit you’ve done, I’m surprised your father <em>ever</em> wanted you back.” She leaned down and looked at Zuko right in the eyes as she continued, “He probably didn’t and just had you return to give off a merciful facade.”</p>
<p>	Mai’s words feel like hundreds of thousands of knives cutting into his face and chest. He’s crying in earnest now, gasping for breath against the ropes that seem to tighten around him every second. He’s shaking his head, trying to tell Mai that he’s so, <em>so</em> sorry.</p>
<p>	Mai leans down so her face is mere inches away from his. He can feel her breath. He can’t help but look into her eyes. Her eyes, which are full of <em>pain</em> and <em>betrayal</em> and <em>rage.</em></p>
<p>	“Ozai regrets giving you that scar Zuko,” Mai whispers. She grabs a handful of his hair from the back of his head and somehow tugs Zuko and the chair above the ground. She stands up straight and holds Zuko at eye-level. She pulls him close so that she speaks into Zuko’s ear.</p>
<p>	“I wish I killed you that day, three years ago. The only decision I’ve ever regretted was <em>letting you live.”</em></p>
<p>	But Mai’s not Mai anymore. When she stood, she grew taller. Her facial features grotesquely morphed into that of his father’s. Zuko can feel every single particle in his body shaking with terror.</p>
<p>	“How <em>dare</em> you even <em>consider</em> the <em>possibility</em> that I could <em>ever</em> love you? That I could ever <em>care</em> about <em>you?</em> You’re a damned disgrace to your nation and to firebending as a concept. I should have just ended your pathetic and worthless life when you surrendered like the coward you are.”</p>
<p>	Suddenly, the room is on fire. The ropes are digging deep into his skin. He can’t escape. And an enormous hand made of flames begins rushing towards his face—</p>
<p>••••••••••</p>
<p>	Zuko wakes up crying. He sits up at an unnatural speed, and for a moment, he forgets where he is. He feels like he’s falling into an endless abyss. He shakes his head and lets his eyes adjust to the brightness. Seeing the number of concerned people rush up to him, he remembers where he is.</p>
<p>	“Zuko!” Aang calls out, running up to him. “Are you okay?”</p>
<p>	Katara, Toph, Suki, and Sokka aren’t far behind. Despite her evident distrust of him, Zuko thinks he sees something that looks like worry etched across Katara’s face. Suki runs at a faster pace as she approaches him.</p>
<p>	<em>They were probably all training,</em> Zuko thinks to himself. He doesn’t have the mental space or energy to beat himself up over not being there training with them and helping Aang with firebending, or oversleeping and not gathering supplies they might need.</p>
<p>	Zuko furiously wipes his eyes. “I’m fine,” he manages to get out.</p>
<p>	“I don’t need my powers to know that you’re lying,” Toph says, kneeling down next to him.</p>
<p>	Zuko takes a shaky breath. “It’s just nightmares,” he says. “It’s okay. I’m fine.”</p>
<p>	“Are you sure?” Aang asks. “It sounded like a really bad one.”</p>
<p>	Sokka and Suki kneel down next to him on his other side. Out of the corner of his good eye, Zuko can see Suki slowly raise her hand to place on his shoulder. Instinctively, he tenses up, and Suki’s hand stops before she places it in her lap.</p>
<p>	“…It was,” Zuko quietly admits. “They happen all the time. I’m fine. Go back to doing whatever you guys were doing.”</p>
<p>	After a few seconds of scanning him with her steely eyes, Katara quietly sighs. In another universe, she’d be an incredible firebender.</p>
<p>	“I have some clean water if you need it. You know, to drink, splash on your face, whatever.” She sets her canteen next to him.</p>
<p>	“No, thank you,” Zuko says. He’s trying to learn how to accept gifts and kind offers, but he feels like he can’t ask any more of his…<em>friends,</em> he supposes.</p>
<p>	<em>Yeah, these people are my friends,</em> he tells himself. He knows it’s true, but it still doesn’t feel real.</p>
<p>	“Well, it’ll be on my sleeping bag if you want it.” Katara picks up her canteen and gently tosses it on her makeshift pillow. She doesn’t look back at him. Suki gives him a sympathetic smile before rejoining Katara.</p>
<p>	“Well, we’re here for you if you need anything, Zuko,” Aang offers. He follows after Katara, but he keeps glancing back over his shoulder, like he’s worried that if he looks away for too long then Zuko will freak out again. Zuko closes his eyes and counts to ten as he breathes. He tries the calming techniques that Uncle had taught him, but he couldn’t remember if if was inhale for four seconds and exhale for three, or the other way around, or—</p>
<p>	“You coming, Sokka?” Aang calls out.</p>
<p>	Zuko opens his eyes to find that Sokka didn’t leave with the others; rather he was still sitting next to Zuko, leaning back on his arms and his head tilted slightly to the side, as if he was studying Zuko. When Zuko meets Sokka’s eyes, Sokka blinks and startles and nearly falls over.</p>
<p>	“What? Oh, uh, I’m good. I’ll catch up with you guys later.”</p>
<p>	Katara narrows her eyebrows at Sokka, but Aang just smiles and says “Okay! See ya later, Sokka!” as he cheerfully glides past Katara. Katara finally rejoins the rest of the group after glaring at her brother and the banished prince for what feels like weeks.</p>
<p>	For a moment, it’s just Zuko and Sokka. They’re both quiet, both a bit unsure of what they’re doing, until Sokka clears his throat.</p>
<p>	“I, uh, I found a clearing not far from the other side of the temple,” Sokka starts as he fidgets with his boomerang holster. “Wanna go practice sword-bending?”</p>
<p>	Zuko raises his eyebrows.</p>
<p>	“There’s a stream that flows through it, and there’s a small freshwater pond with koi,” Sokka continues.</p>
<p>	<em>Is he <strong>blushing?</strong></em> Zuko thinks to himself, squinting, trying to get a better look at the exact color of Sokka’s face.</p>
<p>	“Okay,” Zuko replies—and immediately mentally kicks himself.</p>
<p>	<em>Stupid, stupid, stupid! Say something <strong>nice,</strong> like ‘thank you,’ or…Oh! how about—</em></p>
<p>	“I mean, uh, thank you for the offer. I’d…I’d love to join you. For…sword-bending.”</p>
<p>	Sokka’s face lights up and it reminds Zuko of the sun. He feels himself blush and immediately turns away to get his dual-swords. As he’s readying the straps on his sheaths, he forces himself to push down the rising feelings of butterfly-birds in his stomach.</p>
<p>	<em>I shouldn’t—no, I <strong>can’t</strong>—put someone through that again. <strong>All</strong> I did to Mai was <strong>hurt</strong> her, I <strong>can’t</strong> do that to Sokka. He deserves someone <strong>better</strong> for him…he deserves someone who deserves him.</em></p>
<p>	Zuko tried to nail these ideas into every part of his brain, but the beating of his heart kept causing them to fall and break.</p>
<p>••••••••••</p>
<p>	“Okay…can we…take a breather…<em>please?!”</em> Sokka gasps in between his exhausted breathing.</p>
<p>	Zuko nods and they collapse onto their backs next to each other, both staring up at the sky. The sun had already made its arc over them and it was just starting to set. They had been training for hours, and they finally decided to rest next to the small pond.</p>
<p>	“We should probably start heading back soon,” Zuko suggests. “Your sister will get mad.”</p>
<p>	“Eh, let her be mad. We were training our bending abilities!”</p>
<p>	Zuko raises a single eyebrow.</p>
<p>	<em>“‘We’?”</em> he asks</p>
<p>	“We’re <em>all</em> sort of benders in a way,” Sokka jokes, turning on his side to face Zuko. “Katara has her waterbending, Aang has his airbending, Toph has her earthbending, you have your firebending, and <em>I</em>—” Sokka pulls out his favorite weapon “—have my boomerang-bending!”</p>
<p>	“I thought you said ‘sword-bending’ earlier?” Zuko replies his mouth curling into a small smile.</p>
<p>	“Well, this is my boomerang, and I like the sound of ‘boomerang-bending’ more than I like ‘sword-bending,’” Sokka smirks.</p>
<p>	“Nah,” Zuko gently nudges his foot against Sokka’s. “‘Sword-bending’ is catchier.”</p>
<p>	“Well, maybe it is, but I like ‘boomerang-bending’ better! Besides, I’m better at boomerang-bending than you’ll ever be,” Sokka says as he nudge’s Zuko’s arm. “I’m a boomerang-bending master!”</p>
<p>	Both of them pretend like their casual touches don’t feel like a small electric shock of warmth. Zuko and Sokka both chuckle.</p>
<p>	“Well, you’re right about <em>that,”</em> Zuko replies, easing himself up. Sokka also sits up properly, and the two boys face each other.</p>
<p>	Zuko looks into Sokka’s eyes for what feels like hours, and Sokka looks into Zuko’s eyes intently, studying them as if they’re the last thing he’ll ever see.</p>
<p>	They’ve been subconsciously moving towards each other before Zuko blinks, stops, and clears his throat. Sokka blinks and gives Zuko a quizzical look.</p>
<p>	“What’s wrong?” Sokka asks.</p>
<p>	“Nothing,” Zuko replies, quickly looking down at his lap and fidgeting with his fingers.</p>
<p>	Sokka looks down at the ground and begins drawing swirls in the dirt. He draws (what Zuko can only assume are) boomerangs, waves, and flames.</p>
<p>	“I, uh…” Zuko starts, not meeting Sokka’s eyes as the other boy’s head shot up to look at Zuko. “I want to thank you.”</p>
<p>	“Oh, no problem. We all need to be training for when the comet arrives. Gotta be on our A-game for taking down the Fire Lord!”</p>
<p>	Zuko can’t keep himself from chuckling a little bit.</p>
<p>	“That’s not what I wanted to thank you for. And you do realize that when—if—you defeat my father, that either I or my sister will take the throne next?”</p>
<p>	Sokka doesn’t miss how Zuko’s voice grows slightly more unsteady as he speaks about the possible future.</p>
<p>	“Why wouldn’t you take the throne?”</p>
<p>	“Have you <em>met</em> my sister?”</p>
<p>	“Fair enough.”</p>
<p>	“And even if there <em>was</em> no succession crisis, you guys realize that <em>I’ll</em> be the new Fire Lord, right?”</p>
<p>	“Yeah, and what about it?”</p>
<p>	Zuko’s ember-golden eyes meets Sokka’s ocean blue ones.</p>
<p>	“What do you <em>mean ‘what about it?’</em> Sokka?! I can’t be the <em>Fire Lord!</em> I don’t know how to lead an entire <em>nation!</em> Let alone one whose current legacy is that of imperialism, destruction, and <em>genocide!</em> And ending the war that my great-grandfather started? The war that the Fire Nation is currently winning—”</p>
<p>	“Well, I’d say we’re almost tied—”</p>
<p>	Zuko rolls his eyes.</p>
<p>	“The war that’s been going on for a <em>whole century</em> that my <em>whole nation</em> has been in support of for its <em>entire</em> duration! How will it look to my subjects when I end the war that’s been providing them with their entire <em>livelihoods?!</em> I know that they should get new livelihoods—that sounds like something you’d say—” (Sokka nods) “but it’s not that easy! And what about the conquered territories? How can I <em>help</em> them? Will they even <em>want</em> my help? And what about—”</p>
<p>	“Hey!”</p>
<p>	Sokka interrupts a clearly overwhelmed Zuko by placing his left hand on Zuko’s cheek and his right hand on Zuko’s shoulder. The touch came naturally to Sokka, who’s used to grabbing Katara by the face whenever she gets overworked and needs a clear head. He’s able to tell his right hand to not touch Zuko’s scar, thankfully. He doesn’t fear it, but he doesn’t want to find out from experience if Zuko reacts negatively to other people touching his scar. Sokka stares deep into Zuko’s eyes, which are starting to tear up. Sokka feels his heart crack and it takes every remaining ounce of self-control he has to not physically wince at the pain of Zuko crying. Sokka begins rubbing tiny circles into Zuko’s cheek, and Zuko practically leans into the touch as he closes his eyes. Zuko brings his hand up to Sokka’s and places his other hand on Sokka’s knee. He’s not sure if he feels Sokka shiver or his own hands shaking. (It’s both.)</p>
<p>	“Hey,” Sokka says again, quieter. Zuko opens his eyes and finds Sokka intently staring at him.</p>
<p>	“Look, Zuko, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but you’re, like, <em>already</em> a better Fire Lord than your dad. You clearly care about your people as <em>people</em> and not as a means to an end—that end being like power or whatever. If you carry that attitude with you throughout your reign, you’re going to be the best spirits-damned Fire Lord in the history of all the nations. I <em>know</em> it, Zuko.” Sokka’s voice quiets as he takes a deep breath and finishes with: “I believe in <em>you.”</em></p>
<p>	Zuko thinks about how easy it would be to get lost in Sokka’s eyes, and then realizes that he is lost in Sokka’s eyes.</p>
<p>	Sokka isn’t sure what brings him to pull Zuko more towards him, and Zuko doesn’t know why he simply lets himself be pulled, but they both know that this is exactly where they’re supposed to be—together.</p>
<p>	Sokka closes the remaining distance between them by pressing his lips against Zuko’s.</p>
<p>	Zuko feels himself falling, but this time it’s a good feeling.</p>
<p>	Because he knows that somehow, Sokka will catch him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay so there's a 99.9999999999% chance I'll write more of this but I don't know if it'll be a continuous series or what, it just felt right to end it with the kiss because I started writing this thinking "yeah they're gonna kiss and then talk about feelings and maybe angst and more kissing YEET!" but as I continued it became less about them kissing and more about them just being together, ya know? But I couldn't have them NOT kiss so here we are with a bit of a cliffhanger. Sorry. Sort of. :)<br/>Comments and kudos are appreciated!<br/>my tumblr is @ that-one--book-nerd</p></blockquote></div></div>
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